Origins of Ishtar
by Maatkare of Egypt
Summary: How did the Ishtar Clan end up with a foreign goddess as their last name? This fic explores how this came to be.


Origins of Ishtar

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

This idea has been in my head for awhile now. Why was the Ishtar clan named after a foreign goddess? This one shot is the result.

Mere hours after regaining his memories the not so Nameless Pharaoh now sat reclining on the Ishtar's couch, within the tomb they had guarded faithful for millennia. The rest of the gang had passed out in the guest rooms the Ishtars had given them, except for Yami. At the Pharaoh's insistence, Yugi had taken refuge in his soul room and was now asleep. The king had attempted sleep a few hours earlier, but he had too much on his mind and thus the sleep he sought remained elusive. Yami's eyes scanned the surrounding walls and found they contained familiar Egyptian tomb scenes reflecting the idealistic afterlife.

After a few hours of solitude he had begun to come to terms with what had happened to him when he ruled as pharaoh. His musings were interrupted when he heard footsteps approaching. As they grew louder eventually, they turned the corner and entered the room. It was Ishizu Ishtar. She still wore the cream colored robes she had been wearing earlier that day. Her black hair extended past her shoulders. Her blue eyes took in the room before her. Yami was suddenly aware that his school uniform was dirty and wrinkled but it didn't matter to him at the moment. Ishizu started as she saw the Pharaoh on the couch and she bowed hastily. "My apologies my king. I thought you were asleep in your room," her current demeanor, humble, gentle and graceful reminded the Pharaoh all too strongly of his childhood friend, now eternal servant, Mahaad. Yami tried to pull his thoughts to the present, he would have to reintroduce Mahaad and Ishizu later. What had Priestess Isis—no he corrected himself.—Ishizu said?

/She apologized for intruding and thought we were asleep in our room./ Despite sharing a head with the teen for several years, Yami jumped slightly. He was sure Yugi had been asleep not too long ago. /Thank you, Aibou./ He said gratefully before turning his attention to the bowing woman before him. "Rise Ishizu," he commanded softly, yet firmly. She obeyed. Seeing that she was eyeing him expectantly, he moved his stocking covered feet off the end of the couch. 'Please, take a seat," he instructed. She sat down albeit a bit stiffly on the couch, leaving an empty cushion between them.

"I have a lot on my mind," Yami admitted with a heavy sigh, "But I am hoping you can answer a question for me," she looked at him with slight bewilderment, if the King of Games had a question he couldn't figure out, it must be quite the complex issue. "It will try my best, my Pharaoh," she allowed. Her palms began to sweat a bit in nervousness. She hoped she could answer his question satisfactorily. He nodded appreciatively.

"Where does Ishtar come from?" he asked. That caught her of guard. "I don't understand your question, my king. Obviously Lady Ishtar was a goddess of Egypt's brother kingdom the Babylonians," she trailed off, looking at him uncertainly, for further guidance.

"Yes, that is what I mean," he smiled encouragingly. "How did your family of native Egyptians, end up with an Babylonian goddess as a surname?"

Yugi materialized on the couch next to his partner, unseen by Ishizu. He hadn't even thought about the Spirit's question, but after hearing his darker half ask pose the question, it seemed so glaringly obvious. Ishizu's expression softened a bit and she relaxed, and leaned back against the couch. That was a question she could answer. She had been worried he would ask her questions about his reign as Pharaoh or her past life that she couldn't answer.

"There were some native Egyptians who worshipped foreign gods in Egypt before the Pharaoh Ramses II monumentalized them, in his tribute to his victory at the Battle of Kadesh, on the Temple of Karnak's wall," Ishizu broke off, seeing her Pharaoh's intrigued expression.

"As you may recall, my Pharaoh, there were foreign children raised in the royal palace with you and the noble children. They were minor princes of inferior kingdoms who paid tribute to Egypt, like Byblos. Others were scribes from foreign courts of our brothers the Assyrians and the Babylonians," Ishizu explained. Yami nodded slowly, the memory of some oddly dressed children the palace coming to mind.

"What does this have to do with your family?"

My father had been a devotee of the goddess Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, and he even traveled a great distance to visit her temple in the great city of Nineveh," Yami raised an eyebrow at that. Nineveh was several weeks journey from Egypt. Even though he was of noble birth, he was truly dedicated to the foreign gods of their brother nations, the Pharaoh mused.

"Lady Ishtar promised to protect my father in battle. At her temple he was given an oracle that he would be safe in battle as one of the king's charioteers, and he was. Then in her honor the surname stuck as Ishtar. Originally my name would have been Ishizu of Ishtar," the Tomb Keeper explained. Sudden mirth crept into the king's eyes. "I am grateful your father didn't suffer the same fate as many of Lady Ishtar's lovers," the Pharaoh said smirking. Ishizu blushed and averted her gaze to the floor, a light pink tinge evident on her cheeks. "Otherwise, I would have had to find someone else to guard the tombs until I returned," the Pharaoh remarked dryly. Ishizu wasn't sure how to respond so she remained silent. She wasn't used to her king actually having his memories back yet. That would take some adjustment.

Yami nodded, accepting the explanation, while stifling a yawn. "You had better get some rest, my king," she said standing. He didn't stand as she had anticipated, but put his feet back on the couch and shifted to a more comfortable position. She went to fetch him a blanket because at night, even in the tombs it got surprisingly cold. By the time she returned he was already asleep, his chest rising and falling peacefully.

The way Ishtar treats her lovers that Yami is referring to is found in the _Epic of Gilgamesh_. Ishtar kills several of her lovers and turns others into animals.

Please review and let me know what you think!


End file.
